The crisis capitalism has entered globally is having a deep impact on
the real living conditions of billions of workers all over the world.
With this comes a growing consciousness among ordinary working people
and youth that something is seriously wrong with this system, that this
cannot be the way human beings have to live. Workers are looking for an
explanation and proposals of how to get out of this mess. We have
produced a Manifesto which outlines the causes and puts forward a
programme of action for the international labour movement. In Part One
we deal with the causes of the crisis and its effects.

We all agree it’s a storm in a teacup. But it’s been all
over the papers. People are talking about it. What are Marxists to make of the
Jonathan Ross/Russell Brand affair? After all there are genuine issues in here.
It’s about capitalism and the media.

How do they get people in the media limelight to act like
performing seals? Was the protest genuine? How far can they manufacture a mood
of outrage? How can we defend the BBC when they lob £6m of licence-payers’
money at Ross? He boasts that, at that salary, he’s “worth 1,000 BBC
journalists.”

Here are two points of view. Why not write in
and have your say?

Socialist Appeal is the Marxist voice of Labour and youth. The ideas of Marxism have a long and rich heritage within the British labour movement. We defend these traditions today.

Hundreds of workers downed tools on Tuesday 21st October two hours
before their shift was due to end. This was the first round in a
battle to save the Southampton plant. A workforce of 1,100 make
Transits there. They are already on a four day week as the recession
starts to bite.

Nottingham Trent University has declared war on the University and
College Union (UCU). On 4 July 2008 the university wrote to UCU and
said it was aware that it should give nine months’ notice, but had
decided to terminate the agreement to recognise the union on 4 October
2008.